Fire engine



July 30, 1940.

A. G. sHEPPARD 2,209,666

FIRE ENGINE-- Filed Aug. 26, 1938 s sheets-Sheet 1.

A. G. SHEPPARD l Fuly 30, 1940.

FIRE ENGINE Filed Aug. 26, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 w mw. bv

m M m A July 3o, 1940. l

A. G. SHEPPARD FIRE ENGINE SvSheets-Sheet 5 I I I I :l

' ATroRNEYs.

July 30, V1940. A. G. SHEPPARD Y A2,209,666

FIRE 'ENGINE Filed Aug. 26, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 B MIM/5&7

J ATmRNEYS.

July 30, 1940. A. G. sHEPPARD l FIRE ENGINE Filed Aug. 26, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 @D E Z0 /9 Z4 H9-Z i I IN TOR July 30, 1940. A. G. sHEPPARD FIRE ENGINE Filed Aug. 26, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented July 30, 1940 iJiTED STATE ATENT American LaFrance Corporation,

Elmira, N. Y., a corporation of Newl York Application August 26,

i' 2 Claims.

The invention relates to improved motordriven fire engines or motor pumpers and has to do with the general structure and mode of operation thereof whereby particular advantages 5 and conveniences are obtained as will be observed 'by those skilled in this art from the description which follows.

The new fire engine in its preferred form is shown in the drawings whereof Figs. l and 2 are respectively right hand and left hand elevations;

Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal section of the discharge gate and gauge panel mechanism;

- Fig. 4 is a top plan of the forward part of the vehicle with parts broken out;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of parts of Fig. 4, partly in section;

Fig. 6 is a cross section of thevehicle on line of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a similar cross section on line VII- VII of Fig. 4; and n Fig. 8 is a larger scale vertical longitudinal section of the re pump.

Referring toY Figs. 1 and 2, the vehicle has its drivers seat location in a cab I about midway of the wheel base, the engine being in front, en closed as customary under a cowl and hooded structure marked 2 and the body or tonneau being extended rearwards vof the rear wheels where it is provided with an entrance step 3. A ladder 'compartment 4 is supported on the roof of the cab andv on rear stanchions 5. Ladders 5 set in this compartment are protected against the elements but can be readily pulled out by a fireman standing on the rear step.

v Referringmore particularly to Figs. 4 and 5, the propelling engine, which is also the pumping engine, is marked 1 supported on the vehicle frame in any suitable way and includes the usual y wheel and clutch case 8 (Fig. 5) and transo mission box 9 which latter may be constructed as usual except that the clutch pedal (shown only in Fig. 5) is fulcrumed at I0 at the rear of the transmission box and operates the clutch shaft II by alinkage connection as shown in Fig. 5.

vEngine power is transmitted tothe rear driving lwheels from the transmission 9 through two universal joints I2 and I3, the pumpshaft I4 (see also Fig. 8) a second clutch or pump clutch I5 and a third universal IB to the propeller shaft -proper II. For vehicle propulsion, the clutch I5, which is splined on the'rear end of the pump shaft I4, is shifted to its closed position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 8. Through the teeth I6a engaging", with the internal teeth on the right ,handend of the clutch, the pump shaft I4 be- 19,38, nserial Nc. 226,907.

comes connected to the shaft section of the rear universal i 6. The construction will be clear from Fig. 8. .f

The shifting is done by a clutch fork It through a lever I9 fulcrumed on the bottom of the clutch housing, a link rod 20, bell crank 2i, and a plunger rod '22. When this rod is pulled upwardly, it closes the clutch I5 and the clutch teeth IBA so that engine power is transmitted to the propeller shaft and thence to the rear .-1,0 wheels in the usual manner. A latch 23 on the plunger casing serves to `lock the clutch in one position or the other.

The pump shaftll is journalled in a bearing Ma at the forward end of the pump housing 2li e115 and at its rear end in a bearing Ilib formed in the end of the shaft section I6@ which in turn is supported on the rear end of the pump casing. The pump is of the centrifugal type supported by bracket 25 (Fig. 4) on the side girders 26 of' the vehicle frame. In the case illustrated, it is a double impeller pump having impellers marked 2-`l and 28 xed to a sleeve shaft 29 journalled 'front and rear in the pump casing. The pump shaft I4 above referred to passes centrally 'through this pump sleeve which is provided with splined teeth Illb at its rear end, where it projects into the clutch housing 3|, adapted to be engaged by corresponding internal teeth on the front end of the clutch I5. After the clutch I5 has been disengaged from its propeller shaft connection, it can be caused to .engage the pump sleeve 2Q thereby constituting a direct drive from the engine through the pump shaft III to the pump. It may have va middle position in-which 35 the drive is interrupted both to the pump and the propeller shaft as desired. The re lpump is located on the vehicle frame justin the rear of the drivers seat and draws its water through a suction chamber 33 and a suc tion head 3d located at its upper side and having three arms or branches, of which the two which are marked 35 are lateral branches extending one to each side of the vehicle into recessed pockets 3,6V in the vehicle side wall vwhere they are pro- 'vided withthe usual suction couplings 3l. The third branch 3Q extends directly to the rear cf the vehicle just above the rear entrance step 39 where it is also provided with a suction coupling .39. Thus the pump can be connected to a water .p50

source on either side or at the rear of the vehicle as circumstances may require.

The fire pump shown is intended to have its impellers work in multiple or in `series for which reasonvi-t is to` be understood `as provided with 755 the necessary change-over mechanism and control, only parts of which are shown in the drawings. This mechanism is well known and has no direct relation to this invention.

Whether set for operating in multiple or in two stages, the water is delivered from the pump through a horizontal pressure conduit 42 situated at one side of the power transmission line at a level slightly below the frame side girders and extending forwardly to a point adjacent the motor casing 8 where it turns outwardly of the side girder 25 and thence extends vertically upwards as a riser 43 to a point above the sod pan 44 which represents the floor of the engine compartment, The riser is attached to the side girder by a bracket 45 (Fig. 6) and is connected at its upper end with a distribution head 46 (see also Fig. 3) to which are connected two pairs oi laterally extending discharge conduits 41 one pair extending to the right of the vehicle and one pair to the left and each controlled by a discharge `gate 48 and terminating in a hose coupling for connection to the hose lines as will be understood. The two conduits 41 which extend to the left of the vehicle are formed as a single twin conduit structure as shown by Fig. 5, being forked at its end to form separated couplings for the hose lines. As shown in Fig. 6, the twin structure is arched vover the iiy wheel casing 8, being situated in the space above that casing and below the toe board of the cab. The two right hand discharge conduits 41 are individual pipe sections. The four gate Valves 48 are respectively provided with operating pull rods 49, all of which extend horizontally through the side cowling 50 of the engine compartment.

The normal engine controls, used in the driving of the vehicle and indicated generally by 52, pass over the left hand twin discharge conduits. The toe board 5I of the drivers cab extends upward from the cab floor to a point of junction with the lower edge of the dash partition 53. According to this invention, the ends of the toe board and dash partitions are connected with or meet the front edges of two inclined cab walls 54 thus to form the foot room space for the occupants of the cab. The inward inclination of the walls 54 does not materially reduce the foot room space but does provide a space in the nature of a rear extension of the engine compartment to accommodate the discharge gatey mechanism and parts appertinent thereto and more particularly the gauge panel 55 which is let into an opening in the cowling 50 directly above the gate-operating handles 49. In this position, the several gauges 56 carried by the gauge panel project at their rear sides into the warmth of the engine and are thereby protected against freezing, including their several tube connections to the different parts of the system. 'Ihese are shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5 at 51, 58, 59 and 60.

It is found that there is little tendency for the pump to freeze, or become injured if freezing should accidentally occur, because in the first place the pump is of the centrifugal type and in the second place because it works in the hot draft of the engine fan, usually operating when the apparatus is outside of the fire house. The location of the re pump amidship of the vehicle frame, so that its lateral suction tubes are in the rear of the cab door, or the entrance to the drivers seat, and spaced several feet rearwardly of the discharge conduits 41 and the hose lines connected thereto represents a desirable assembly in that when the engine is at work the operator can easily step over such suction tubes or hose lines when necessary. 'I'his is not easily done when the suction tubes are located directly beneath the hose lines as in prior constructions. The operator may thus pass quickly from the front to the rear of the vehicle as contingencies may require which is an important advantage. Moreover, this location of the suction conduits, spaced away from the discharge conduits instead of being under them, allows for the location of the manual engine clutch in this position so that the operator when standing on the ground in view of the gauge panel, which is his normal station, can readily use it. The clutch shaft Il (Fig. 5) is provided with a short arm 6I engaged by another arm 62 on a shaft 63 which extends horizontally to the outside of the cowling Wall 50 where it is furnished with a manual lever arm 64. It will be seen that pulling up on this arm opens the motor clutch and thus allows the operator to disconnect the power from the pump whenever necessary.

It will be understood that the vehicle is also supplied with various other incidental and necessary appurtenances which have been omitted from the drawings because they will be readily supplied and are not directly related to the purposes of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a vehicular fire engine of the motor pumper type having a wheel carried, frame, means defining a substantially enclosed motor space on the forward end of said frame including a hood and a dash partition, a motor within said space, a transmission line extending rearwardly from and operatively connected to said motor, and a fire pump located midway of said frame and adapted to be driven by said motor, the improvement which comprises a dash partition which is substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said re engine throughout a substantial portion of its width and height but is slanted toward the rear for a substantial distance adjacent the vertical sides thereof to dene in cooperation with said hood a partially enclosed space forming part of said motor space and adapted to be heated by the air passing through said motor space, said dash partition being also slanted toward the rear of said fire engine for a substantial portion of the lower edge thereof to form a toeboard and deiiector to direct said air passing through said motor space toward said repump, intake conduits connecting said pump with intake ports on the exterior of said re engine at points situated not substantially forward of said re pump, said intake conduits being adapted to be warmed by air passing from said motor space, a discharge conduit extending from the discharge of said re pump forwardly through a portion of said motor space to disjacent said dash partition, said discharge conduit being in the neighborhood of and adapted to be warmed by an exhaust from said motor throughout a substantial portion of the length thereof,

and gauges mounted in the hood above said charge ports in that portion of said hood admotor, and a re pump located midway of said frame and adapted to be driven by said motor, the improvement which comprises adash partion which is substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said iire engine throughout a substantial portion of its width and height to define in cooperation with said hood a space forming part of said motor space and adapted to be heated by the air passing through said motor space, said dash partition being slanted toward the rear of said reengine for a substantial portion of the lower edge thereof to form a toeboard and deflector to direct said air passing through said motor space toward said re pump, intake conduits connecting said pump with in take ports on the exterior of said re engine at points situated' not substantially forward of said fire pump, said intake conduits being adapted to be warmed by air passing from said motor space, a discharge conduit extending from the discharge of said fire pump forwardly through a portion of saidmotor 'space to discharge ports in that portion of said hood adjacent said dash partition, said discharge conduit being in the neighborhood of and' adapted to be warmed by an eX- haust from said motor throughout a substantial portion of the length thereof, and gauges mounteri. in the hood above said discharge ports, whereby freezing of saidv pump, conduits and gauges is inhibited when said motor is in operation.

ALLAN G. SI-IEPPARD. 

